In order to create the new, more powerful 2008 Hummer H3 Alpha, the engineers at GM's off-road brand had to take a couple steps backward.
The standard H3's inline five-cylinder might be technologically unique and suitably tractable for off-roading, but it's hopelessly overmatched by the H3's weight, especially on the road. So, sure enough, the Hummer engineers adopted an idea that's been around at GM for half a century — V8 power.
With the 2008 Hummer H3 Alpha, GM hopes this addition to the H3 model range will broaden this SUV's appeal beyond the hard-core rock-crawling crowd. It's a logical move and it's long overdue.
Not a Plug-and-Play Proposition
When we grilled the Hummer engineers about the H3's overdue adaptation of V8 power, they offered up a number of explanations.
For one, the H3 shares its frame with the Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon pickup, which was never designed to accommodate a V8 engine. Since the space between the frame rails was sized only for the narrow inline-5, adding a V8 hasn't been a simple plug-and-play option.
The engineers also note that Hummer has addressed the output of the five-cylinder by increasing its displacement from 3.5 to 3.7 liters. The H3's standard five-cylinder now produces 242 horsepower and 242 pound-feet of torque.
But we must note that the engineers also shrugged their shoulders plenty of times, so it's clear that there's plenty of corporate acknowledgement of the I5's deficiencies.
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